Speed-indicator for vehicles.



PATENTED MAR. 10, 1903.

A. L. MQ'MURTRY. SPEED INDICATOR FOR VEHICLES.

APPLIOATIOH FILED OUT. 3, 1902.

I0 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALDEN L. MCMURTRY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SPEED-INDICATOR FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 722,532, dated March10, 1903.

Application filed October 3, 1902. Serial No. 125,814. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALDEN L. MOMUETEY, a citizen of the United States,residingin the city, county, and State of New York, have invented anImproved Speed-Indicator for Vehicles, of which the following is aspecification.

This device is particularly designed for automobiles, but is applicableto vehicles of other character. It comprises an organization wherein amember or toothed wheel is advanced step by step, preferably one stepfor each revolution of a wheel of the vehicle, and is so related in itsmovement to the circumference or tread of the vehicle-wheel that by theaid of an indicating device associated therewith and which may be in theform of a pointer traveling around a dial a given distance traversedwill be indicated to the view of the occupant of the vehicle, andassociated with these devices is a stop-watch or timepiece automaticallyactuated to indicate the time occupied in traversing such definitedistance and automaticallyrestored to zero. If, for instance, the timeis to be taken for a mile, the arrangement is such that at the start thestop-watch is thrown into operation and at the finish is arrested, theseoperations occurring while the pointer is traversing a certain part ofthe dial-for instance, one-half thereof. Thereafter and before thepointer has again reached the starting-point the stop-watch maybeautomatically returned to zero, and the watch being again started thetime occupied in traversing the third mile will be indicated. For manyreasons it is preferable that the partsof this device shouldloe actuatedor controlled electrically.

The accompanying drawings show one embodiment of the invention whichexperience has demonstrated to be practicaland efficient.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the organization andoperation of the apparatus, and Fig. 2 a front elevation of a casewithin which the working parts are con tained and which may be suitablysecured in position in the vehicle.

a is a stop-watch of ordinary construction controlled by thearmature-leverb of an electromagnet c and both of which in the specialform of the device I have elected to illustrate are contained in thesame case with other parts of the apparatus.

d is a toothed wheel advanced step by step by the hook or pawl e on thearmature-lever fof an electromagnet g. The terminal contacts h t of thecircuit may be closed once in each revolution of the driving-wheel j bya boss, projection, or inclined face is thereon, which presses 2' intocontact with 71. The circuit connections maybe as follows: From contact2' the circuit passes through the winding of magnet g, thence to theheel or pivot of a two -point switch m, and thence to a contact-frame nand battery 0. The other terminal contact h is connected with theopposite pole of the battery 1% and by wire 19 through the winding ofmagnet c and thence to contact-frame q. Since, as shown, the instrumentis adapted to time distances up to one mile, I prefer to attach to theshaft of wheel d a pinion .s,driving a wheel 25,011 the axis of which isa pointer u, located outside the face-plate of the apparatus andtraversing a dial, as shown in Fig. 2. As appears from this figure, theface of the stop-watch is exposed at the front plate of the instrument,outside of which is also mounted the switch on.

The contact-frame n has radially disposed with reference to the axis ofwheel ttwo contact projections 1) to and diametrically opposite these athird contact projection 00. The contact frame or piece g has a contactprojection y opposite the projection a: and two contactprojections z and1, respectively, opposite the projections 41 w.

2 is an insulated bifurcated contact-piece carried by a pin projectingfrom the side of wheel 25 and acting as the wheel is rotated tosuccessively electrically connect the pins of contact projections 00 y oz w 1.

Of course the particular arrangement or form of the variouscontactdevices, arrangement of circuits, and mechanical details ofconstruction and organization are quite immaterial, as they aresusceptible of great Variation.

The operation is as follows: The switch m being closed and the vehiclein motion, the wheel cl will be advanced one tooth each time that themagnet g is energized by closure of contacts h i, and the pointer towill traverse around the dial in the direction indicated by the arrow.When the pointer is at Start and the contact projections to 1 arebridged by the contact 2, magnets g and 0 will both be energized, andthe latter attracting its armaturelever presses in the spindle or postof the stopwatch to start it into operation. As contact 2 passes fromcontacts to and 1 the armaturelever b will rise under the tension of itsspring, carrying with it or assisting the rise of the spindle of thewatch, and thereafter the magnet 0 will be inactive until the pointerhas reached the division marked Finish on the dial, when the contact 2bridges contacts my, again completing the circuit of magnet 0, whosearmature depresses the spindle of the watch and arrests its movement,the watch then indicating the time during which the pointer has passedfrom Start to Finish on the dial, which occurs, as indicated in thedrawings, during the time the vehicle has traversed one mile. While thepointer is moving from Finish to the point on the dial marked Reset, theWatch indicates the time during which the preceding mile was run. Whenthe pointer reaches the point Reset, contact 2 bridges contacts vz,thereby completing the circuit of magnet c and causing its armature todepress the spindle of the watch to return it to zero. This operationmay be repeated indefinitely as long as the vehicle is in motion and theswitch m closed. When the apparatus is organized as shown in theaccompanying drawings, the time of running alternate miles will beindicated by the watch. The stop-watch is of ordinary construction, andits post or spindle projects above the top of the case, so that it maybe wound conveniently or operated by hand, if desired.

3 is an ordinary bank or friction-retention pawl bearing on the toothedwheel cl.

- I claim as my invention- 1. Avehicle speed-indicatorcomprising thecombination of a part actuated relatively to the speed at which thevehicle is traveling, an indicating device associated therewith showinga definite distance traversed, and a stop-watch or timepiece,automatically set into operation and automatically arrested by thespeed-indioator-actuating mechanism and having theusualindicatingdevicesand which shows the time occupied in traversingsuch definite distance.

2. A speed-indicator for vehicles comprising a part actuated relativelyto the speed of the vehicle, an indicating device associated therewithshowing a definite distance traversed, a stop-watch or timepiece,automatically set into operation and automatically arrested by thespeed-indicator-actuating mechanism to indicate the time occupiedtraveling such distance, and thereafter automatically returned to zero.

3. A speed-indicator for vehicles comprising a wheel rotated step bystep controlled by a wheel of the vehicle, a dial and pointer associatedtherewith and showing a definite distance traversed, a stop-watch ortimepiece indicating the time occupied in traversing such distance,andmeans whereby in the revolution of the indicating device the stop-watchis set into operation at the start of the distance to be timed, arrestedat the finish and thereafter returned to zero, the organization beingsuch that this cycle of operations may be automatically repeated duringthe continued movement of the vehicle.

4. A speed-indicator for vehicles comprising a wheel electromagneticallyrotated step by step relatively to the speed of the vehicle, indicatingdevices associated therewith showing a definite distance traversed bythe vehicle, a stop-watch or timepiece, an electromagnet controlling it,a source of electrical energy, and circuitconnections whereby, at thestart of the distance to be measured the stopwatch is set intooperation, arrested at the finish and thereafter returned to zero.

5. A speed-indicator for vehicles comprising a wheel electromagneticallyrotated step by step relatively to the speed of the vehicle, indicatingdevices associated therewith showing a definite distance traversed bythe vehicle, a stop-watch or timepiece, an electromagnet controlling it,a source of electrical energy, and circuit connections for said magnetcontrolled by the movement of the electromagnetically-d riven wheel,whereby at the start of the distance to be measured the stopwatch is setinto operation, then arrested at the finish, and finally returned tozero.

6. A speed-indicator for vehicles comprising a part driven relatively tothe speed of the vehicle, indicating devices associated therewithshowing a definite distance traversed, an electromagnet, a source ofelectrical energy by which it is energized, its circuit connectionscontrolled by the movement of said driven part, and a stop-watch ortimepiece controlled by the electromagnet, whereby the stop-watch is setinto operation at the start of the distance to be measured, arrested atthe finish, and returned to zero.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

ALDEN L. MCMURTRY.

Witnesses:

KATHARINE MAoMAHoN, WILLIAM R. STAHLIN.

